Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-08-26
ARlsTOCRATlC TITLES IN ENGLAND.
English, Irish and Scotch Barons-Sec-
ondary Titlcs-Some Curious Rules.


English, Irish and Scotch Barons-Sec-
ondary Titics-some Curious Rules.
The British house of peers consists Of
the hereditary Barons of England, Irish
barons elected for life, of Scotch barons
elected for each parliament Of two arch
bishops and about two dozen bishops.
Whatever peers title may be, he sits in
the house as baron, his higher titles
being purely honorary. Therefore all
dukes, marquesses. earls and viscounts
Except those bearing titles by courtesy
are also barons.
Next to the royal family in precedence
comes the Most Rev. His Grace the Lord
Archbishop of Canterbury, then the lord
high chancellor. then the Archbishop Of
York, then certain officials and then the
dukes; the odd thing being that the wives
of the archbishops, who rank so high, are
plain Mrs. Benson and Mrs. Thompson,
taking no rank from their husbands.
All dukes. besides being barons have
secondary titles, often many of them.
OF these the eldest son and heir takes, by
courtesy, the highest. For example, the
Duke of Devonshire is also the Marquis of
Harrington This title is therefore borne
by his eldest son, the well known politi-
ca leader. The marquessate, being only
one by courtesy, does not. of course,
make the marquis peer; he sits in the
house of commons, to which he has to be
elected like any other commoner.
Younger sons of dukes are called by their
Christian names, with the title of lord
added. Thus, if the Marquis of Harting-
ton had two younger brothers, one
named William and the other John. they
would be called Lord William Cavendish
and Lord John Cavendish. Cavendish
being the family surname; their children
would be simply Mr.. or Miss Cavendish.
Lord Randolph Churchills father was
the Duke of Marlborough; his elder
brother, during the fathers life, was
called the Marquis of Blandford. When
Lord Randolph married, his wife became
Lady Randolph Churchill but their chill
dren will inherit no title. Lord John
Russell, a younger son Of the Duke of
Bedford, was in his old days raised to the
peerage as Lord RUSSELL perhaps if Lord
Randolph become a great statesman and
prime minister, he may be raised to the
peerage and may do the rare thing of
choosing his surname for his title If So
surdly today. may seem to have been
prophetic. In the meantime, he is no
more Lord Churchill than he is the Duke
of ST. Louis.
For the sons of marquesses the same
rules apply as for the sons of dukes. The
eldest son of an earl takes his father s
second title by courtesy, but the younger
sons are only the Hon. Mr.. So and So. "
The daughters of all dukes. marquesses
and earls are styled Lady Mary, Lady
Jane, etc. Children of viscounts and
barons, who have no higher title, are all
the Hon. Mr.. or Miss So and So. All
Englishmen, except bishops, bearing
titles, raise their wives to their rank. and
ladies having by birth the noble prefix
remain Lady Mary or Lady Jane through
life, unless they marry so high as to
merge it in a higher title. Baronets IAN
invention of King Jamie to sell an in
heritable order Of knighthood) and knights
of all kinds have the prefix Sir to their
given names. Thus, if a man is named
John Smith and succeeds to a baronetcy,
or is knighted. he becomes Sir John
Smith and is addressed as Sir John He
does not become Sir Smith, any more
than the younger son of a duke or mar
guess, whose family name was Smith,
would be Lord Smith. In the one case
it is Sir John, in the other Lord John.
Strangely enough, the wife of a knight
or baronct does exactly the reverse: Sir
John Smiths wife becomes Lady Smith,
not Lady John Smith; while Lord John
Smith s wife becomes Lady John Smith,
not Lady Smith.
The title of Right Honorable is given to
members of the sovereign privy council.
As has already been said, the title of Hon.
orable is the birthrjght of certain sons Of
peers. and although Ri. Hon. looks some
thing like it, the likeness is like that be-
tween Madrid and Madras, to the eye
and ear only; for one can be secured
only by birth, the other acquired only by
political prominence. Please remember
that little prefix makes equal unequal
the difference is hardly greater than that
between the English Hon. and TT. Hon.
one is born, the other made.
To sum up: In Great Britain dukes are
addressed as your grace; nlarquesses as
my lord marques, or simply my lord
a dukes wife is duchess, a marques
wife marchioness. The eldest son take;
the fathers second title by courtesy; the
other sons are Lord John, Lord Thomas
etc. The daughters are all Lady James
Lady Maries, etc. An earl is addressed
as my lord; his wife is a countess; hi:
) eldest son takes second highest title; al
other sons are the Hon. Mr. SO and So
whatever the family name may he. Al
daughters are Lady James, etc. Niscount
and barons are addressed as my lord
eldest and all other sons are the Hon. iii
So and So. and all of the daughters ais,
have the prefix of honorable. Baronet,
and knights are addressed as Sir John
etc. their wives become Lady So and SO
Right honorable applies to members o
the privy council. Being a member o
parliament gives no title or preiiX-E
J. Biddle in Globe Democrat.